Sliding door hanger



June 14, 1960 c. B. RISER 2,940,113

SLIDING DooR HANGER Filed Feb. 4, 195s United States Patent (D SLIDING DOOR HANGER Clarence B. Riser, Sterling, lll., assignor to Lawrence Brothers, Inc., Sterling, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Filed Feb. 4, 1958, Ser. No. 713,198

3 Claims. (Cl. 16-105) The present invention relates to novel door hangers and more particularly to novel wheel hangers for supporting sliding doors.

Sliding doors which are supported from an overhead track by means of wheeled hangers have long been known and used, and one problem which is frequently encountered when mounting such doors is that of vertically adjusting the door so that its lower edge is properly spaced above the iioor.

One object of the invention is to provide for suspending a sliding door, an improved translatable door support in which a novel and exceptionally compact adjustable construction, adapted to' be housed in a very compact space above a suspended door and eiectively concealed by the door, can be easily adjusted by a high leverage adjusting tool applied to concealed adjusting structure to progressively lift or lower a suspended door to any desired po'sition of vertical adjustment.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a novel door hanger structure of the above described type which is of simple and rugged construction and which may be economically manufactured and readily applied to a door. i

Gther objects and advantages o'f the present invention will become apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary elevational View showing a sliding door supported by hangers incorporating features of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary cross sectional View taken generally along line 2-2 in Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary cro'ss sectional View taken generally along line 3-3 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken along line 4--4-` in Fig. 2; and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing a portion of a hanger structure incorporating features of the present invention.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings wherein like parts are designated by the same numerals throughout the various gures, a sliding door is supported by a pair of hanger structures 22 incorporating features of this invention for movement along a track 24 mounted within a header member 26 formed by a downwardly open, generally square channel having a width which is only slightly greater than that of the door 20. The track 24 depends into the center of the channel from the medial wall -of the channel to which the track is attached as shown. As will be understood, the door may be shifted to and from the position shown in Fig. l and a door receiving pocket 28 constructed ina known manner within the wall 30.

The hanger structure 22 comprises a carriage assembly 32 adapted to be associated with the track member 24 and a bracket assembly 34 adapted to be secured to the door and also adjustably connected with the carriage assembly in the manner described fully below. The carriage assembly 32 has an elongated and generally vertinates in an upturned portion 48 which combines with theupstanding body member 36 for partially embracing the track. A screw 50 is adjustably threaded through a tapped aperture in the ilange portion 48. In the position shown in Fig. 2, this screw will prevent the carriage assembly from being lifted sutliciently to disengage the rollers from the track. As will be understo'od however the screw 50 may be loosened or withdrawn sulicientlyv to permit intentional assembly or disassembly of the carriage and the track member.

The bracket assembly 34 comprises a bracket member having an L-shape in transverse section and including an upstanding section 52 slidably engaging the carriage frame plate 36 and a lower marginal horizontally extending iiange S4 which is provided with a plurality of apertures so that it is adapted to' be secured directly to the upper edge of the door by means of a plurality of screws 56. A central aperture 58 is provided in the -iiange portion 54 for rotatably receiving a body portion 60 of an internally threaded nut member. A ange 62 is provided on the nut body for engaging beneath the flange portion 54 'of the bracket, and a gear element 64 is secured to an upper end portion of the nut body 60 and overlies the bracket portion 54. Thus the nut body 60 is rotatably mounted in the bracket portion S4 and is retained against axial movement in opposite directions with respect to' the bracket portion 54 by the flange 62 and the gear element` 64. A stud member 66 is threadedly received by the nut body 60 and depends from and is iixed tov the flange portion 45 of the carriage body member 36. Thus the nut body and the stud or screw member serve to connect the bracket assembly with the carriage assembly.

In order to acco'mplish vertical adjustment of the door 20, the hanger structure 22 is provided with means se. lectively for raising or lowering the bracket assembly 34- with respect to the carriage assembly. This means com-- prises the above mentioned nut body 60 and screw member or stud 66 and the structure for rotating the nut body of the door.

with the gear element 64. The gear element 68 is ixed to a shaft 70 which has a reduced diameter inner end por tion 72 rotatably supported in a suitable aperture in the upstanding bracket portion 52. A cage or strap element 72 is secured to the upstanding bracket portion 52 by a plurality of rivets 74 or the like and extends over the gear element 68 for retaining the gear element and the shaft 76 in assembled relationship with the bracket portion 52. The strap member 72 is provided with a central aperture thro'ugn which the shaft 70 extends and it is to be noted that an outer end portion 76 of this shaft is provided with a hexagonal or other non-circular peripheral conguration so that it may be readily engaged by a suitable wrench or tool as indicated by the tool 78 shown in broken lines in Fig. 2. It will be appreciated that the portion 76 may be readily turned in either direction with the aid of the tool 78 so that the gear element 68 serves Patented June 14, 1960l Y More specic'ally, the. carriage body portion 35' isprovidedf-.With a pair: of vertically elongated* slots 8d and 82. Alpin. 84. extends. through the slot 80 and has an. end

Y portion Sdupsetfso thatit is secured tol the upstanding.

bracket portion. 52.. Thepin1v84 is provided. with ani.

. enlarged! headzS-S atlits fre'eend so that: lateral separationA oifthe carriage and. bracket Vmembers' is' prevented;4 similar'- pint ist secured tothe upstanding. bracket por'- also' includes an enlarged. headr 92 cooperates the pin.` 8ste inspreventing!.lateral separation' of thecarriage. and'. bracket members 'and4 cooperates? with the pin. Sitini prevent-ing'tilting of thebracke'tLwith. respect t@ the. carriagemember..` Y

While the preferred embodiment'. of the present' invern Y tion: has been. shown; and. described herein, it'. is'obvious that many' structural detailsmay be changed without departing from' the spirit andfslc'opelof. the appendedcla'ims.

.. The invention. is claimed. as follows:

1.'. A sliding door hanger comprising; in combination,l l.

at downwardly open. horizontal channelv which is substanl v tiallyy square in.; transverse section, al horizontal. support track; supported. on-v sa'id. channel and depending. into the centralV portion. thereof, a carriage frame generally L- shapedinY transverse section'. and having avertical portion.` thereof vertically` overlapping said. track, carriage wheels journaledon: said vertical frame portion and supported. oni said trackg. saidv carriage frame-'including' a horizontal. closely underlying, saidtrack and. supporting. an'v adjustable stop member in opposing relationto said track. for engagement with the latter to prevent dislodge'menti of? said 'wheels' from the track, a threaded support: ele ment dependingfrom, saidhorizontal frameA portion and' being' threaded up to said frame, a door support bracket'. generally` L-shap'edf in transverse section' and including. a generallyat vertical portion overlapping saidvertical carriage frame@portion and including a horizontal ilangev underlying saidl horizontal carriage frame portion and Y adaptedto -t directly-1V against thev upper'edge of aldoor,

a" nutf' nren'irberfrotatablyf'mounted in said bracketl ilangev threadedly" receiving" said depending door.` support clement, co'actiiig` guidefrneans-A on said vertical `portions o'saict'carriage frame ands'aid bracket guiding the latter j through said vertical portion of said bracket, a second adjusting gear journaled on said verticalportion of' said bracket and meshing with' said rst gear, and a stub 4;A shaft connectednonrotatably 'to said second gear and projecting horizontally. therefrom. within. said.. channel forY engagement by an adjusting tool.

2. A sliding door hangerY comprising, in combination, a narrow downwardly o'pen horizontal channel, a horizontal track supported within said channel, a carriage frame having a vertical portion vertically overlapping said track, carriage Wheels journaled on said frame vertical portion and supported on said track,.said. carriage frame including a horizontal'portion closely underlying said track-,r a= threaded: support' element depending: from=said. horizontal frameI portion; azdoorf support. bracketinclding a general-ly flat. vertical. portionoverlapping said vertical carriage frame-'portion and i'r'n'jlirdng4V a'horizontal flange underlying`v si'dttack and adapted to t against the upper edge of a door, a nut member rotatably mounted on said bracket flange and threadedly receiving said depending door support element, coacting guide means on said. verticaliy portions-of said 'carriage frame-and' bracket guiding; .the latter for: vertical movement: withf; respect. tof the carriage frame,'a iirst adjusting gear connected to s'aicl` nut. member in: overlying relation'. to: safid bracket flange, a second adjusting gear-S journaled onl said vertical portion4 of. said: bracketfandr meshing withr saidfrstf gear,

and aV gear rotatingelement.nonrotatably connected Withsaid second gear and.y adapted; for engagement:- byanf' ad justing tool. t

3. A'` sliding: door hanger comprising, inl co'mbination',. a door supporttrackiadapted to bemmmtediirn@horizontal position, a: carriageframeihavinga verticalfportionr there-l ofverticallyy overlappingisaid track, carriage wheelsjour` n'a'led:Y on said verticali frame portion. and supportedA on said track,. saidica'rriage fram'eincldinga lclorizontalpor` tion closely underlying saidtrack, a threadedlv door sup;-A

port element dependingfrom said. horizontal-strani@ pon tion, a door supportbracketincludinga vertical-1 portion'Y slidably' overlapping.Y said vertical. i carriage?Y frame 'portion and including a:- horizontal: flangeY underlying.; said'v trackA and adaptecltoA tit against the:'.upperfed'ge of door,. an'V adjusting4 nut member rotatably: mounted orrsaid.bracketV ange and threadedly receiving said depending;- door: supLuv port? element, coactng., guide.- means' on.: said carriage frame and'. said'l bracket. guiding. ther latter for: vertical movement with respect. tothe car-riageframaia iirst ad justing gear.I connected tosaid nutmember in overlying relation to said'. bracket. 'ange; :a second adjustinggear,- a gear rotating and support element adapted 'toebeeenga'gedv .by' a rotating tooli andy nonro't'atably connected to: said second gear, and-.means journalingsaid' gearsupport. ele-- ment on. said verticaiportionaoiv saide-bracketto" support said second gear in meshing; relatinl to saidrst gearl' References Cited in the ile of this patent-v Umrnosm'rias PATENTS 1 766,578" Aman' et a1; Aug; 2.,. 19er;

844,468 Prouty -..c Feb. 1'9;` 19'07" 890,950l lill'laslbumll June I6; 1908 1,017,757 

